Freddie Starr was ‘at risk of being left homeless on the streets’ after losing libel case
FREDDIE Starr was nearly made homeless when he lost a libel case which left him with nearly £1million in legal bills.
The tragic comic, who was found dead aged 76 at his Costa del Sol home on Thursday, sued a woman who claimed he groped her in Jimmy Savile’s dressing room when she was 15 in 1974.
Neighbours also said he owed thousands in unpaid bills and a source added: “Starr was definitely at risk of losing his home and being turfed out on the streets.
“No date had been set for an auction but the ball was definitely rolling. It’s shocking to think a man who was such a household name in his early career could have ended up on the streets.”
Cops previously detained the Liverpool-born funnyman after he threatened to take his own life after he was arrested on sex abuse allegations.
Pal Jim Davidson, 65, said: “He told them he was going to kill himself and that he was going to eat concrete.
“I asked him what they did when he said that and he said, ‘They kept me in a cell for 14 hours while I had a psychiatric assessment’.”
Freddie was said to be mortified after seeing a recording of his terrible Elvis Presley impression, pictured, while singing in a bar two years before his death.
Speaking about the fall from grace, Jim added: “I’ve been out there a few times and people have told me, ‘We see your mate Freddie Starr singing cabaret in the karaoke bars’.
“It was a sad way to end a career for someone who I thought was Britain’s greatest entertainer.”
Freddie was arrested four times between 2012 and 2014 under Operation Yewtree — the investigation into allegations of historic sex abuse against celebrities including Savile.
He was eventually released without charge.
But Freddie lost a subsequent libel case which left him with legal bills of almost £1million and he was forced to sell his £700,000 UK home and moved to Spain in 2015.
Jim, also arrested under the police operation and released without charge, added: “It was a surprise to us all with Yewtree. Freddie never was a ladies’ man.
“I think he was lonely in Spain. He was bothered by the stigma attached to it all.
“On the surface, his way of dealing with that was humour and being awkward and being out of the box.
“But deep down inside it was killing him — it was eating him up.
“I survived Yewtree, but he didn’t. I think it really broke him. He was overwhelmed by it all.”
Freddie Starr’s court loss followed him to Spain and may have led to him being made homeless.
Lawyers for alleged victim Karin Ward secured an order on the property he bought for £170,000.
Yesterday, showbiz pals paid tribute to Freddie following his death from a heart attack.
Bobby Davro called him the “funniest man I’ve ever seen” and added: “I’m so sad we have lost one of our greatest comedy talents.”
Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden added: “His style may have fallen out of comedy fashion and favour, but it’s important to recognise his once huge popularity and fame. I hope his legacy is not smalled down and he’s remembered with a smile.”
Singer and chatshow host Des O’Connor said: “At his best, Freddie was borderline genius.
'Family didn't talk to him for years'
THE friend and carer who lived with the late Freddie Starr has begged his estranged family to get in touch following his death — saying they have not spoken in years.
Freddie had six children from his four wives — splitting from the last, Sophie Lea, 38, in 2015.
Pal Nelly Georgieva, 47, said: “I hope to hear from his family, his daughter or son. I don’t know what to do. I want the embassy to call me, to tell me what’s happening, what they’re doing with him.”
Bulgarian Nelly found Freddie’s body in his home in Mijas on Thursday as she returned from a shopping trip. Spanish authorities later confirmed he died of a heart attack.
She said the comic spent his final hours besotted with a three-week-old tabby cat dubbed Little Freddie.
She said: “He spent all day giving Little Freddie kisses and cuddles — he has the same eyes as Freddie and his face is cheeky like his.”
Nelly moved into the apartment complex with Freddie after initially being his cleaner and later caring for the ageing funnyman.
She said Freddie quit smoking, but needed oxygen apparatus to help him breathe.
She added: “I lived with him for four years. I was a good friend. I loved him — not romantically or sexually, but his personality as a friend and companion.
“And Freddie loved me. He would say, ‘Nell, you’re my f***ing angel’. He was always smiling and telling jokes. He was a great person to me.”
Nelly said Freddie had been taken to hospital by ambulance twice in the last two years, but appeared fine on the day of his death.
She added: “I went to the shop for 30 minutes and came back and he was dead. He was fine before. He was watching TV and playing with his cat and nothing was bothering him.
“But he had heart problems. He was in a coma after an operation. When I met him he was ill. He had asthma and problems with lungs. He had many problems but I never knew he was bad.”
Nelly also admitted that for a long time she was unaware of the huge fame her friend once had.
She added: “Freddie was normal. He never acted like a star. One time we went for coffee and people kept asking for photos. I assumed they were friends.
“Then one day he showed me his impressions of Mick Jagger and Roy Orbison and I realised these were not friends — they were fans.”
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“Always unpredictable, he could create mayhem in a TV studio with his wacky, unique humour.”
But dad-of-six Freddie, who married five times to four women, received mixed tributes from his exes. First wife Betty Simpson said: “It’s very sad news, but I didn’t really like Freddie. He was brilliant on stage, but a terrible husband.”
Sophie Lea, 38, to whom Freddie was still legally married despite their split in 2015, said: “I was still devastated. I want to just remember him as a fantastic comedian like the millions of fans he brought so much pleasure to.”
Jim invites fans to make a donation in Freddie’s memory to his charity Care after Combat.
WHERE TO GET HELP
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123